Editing CubexCursedxCurious:Volume4 Chapter4 (section)

===Part 7===

Accompanied by faint sounds of cursing, the silver-haired girl finally disappeared from Konoha's view. Sorry&mdash;Simply making a simple apology in her mind, Konoha turned to face the two enemies in the corridor again.

"Killing everyone in school&mdash;May I ask a question, is it really for ''gu'' poison creation?"

"Indeed. There's no need to go that far if our purpose was simply to abduct the Fear-in-Cube. This is being done in consideration of what comes later."

"What comes later?"

"I don't know the details, but isn't the Lab Chief's Nation assisting you? If we persuade Fear-sama by force, then what we must consider next are countermeasures against those people."

Konoha frowned. That had been Kirika's bluff, originally intended for the possible effect of delaying Bivorio's faction from acting&mdash;But unexpectedly, they not only believed it but also plan on overcoming the threat.

"Why do you go so far in your wish to obtain Fear-san? That child is nothing but a dumb little lass."

"I, too, have asked the same question. Praise the Lord."

"Didn't I answer back then already? This is my willfulness. If I had to explain again, then&mdash;I love Wathes deeply. Being who I am, feeling what I feel... The inevitable conclusion is that I must love Fear-sama deeply no matter what. How should I put this? She is the Wathe of Wathes, the very symbol of Wathes, the existences that are cursed tools. That is what I feel."

"You overestimate her too much, although it's true that the child has suffered an extremely cursed existence."

Taking a deep breath, as if guided by her exhalation, Konoha slowly drew in closer.

"Don't take me lightly either. As a bloodthirsty demon blade&mdash;If this were a game, I would most likely be the strongest weapon available, you know?"

"How truly admirable. Then it looks like I must take care of this strongest weapon before I can go assist Aiko... Let me be your opponent. Alice, you stay back."

"Be careful, Abyss. If possible, I hope you won't destroy this important Wathe here."

The wheelchair retreated towards the depths of the corridor. Her wounds from Fear last time were not healed yet, apparently.

"Thank you for your merciful statement. I've decided to learn from your example&mdash;Starting tomorrow!"

Lowering her stance, Konoha sprinted as quickly as a sword being drawn from its scabbard.

Given the current circumstances, she should be able to bear the sight of a little bloodshed. By "bloodshed," she meant injuring the opponent. It would be fine so long as she finished things in one fell swoop. If she were to witness unbearable blood, it would only happen with her opponent's decapitation. No problem.

Abyss also stepped forward. As he moved his immense weight, the floor tiles could be heard flying in the corridor. Next came his leather-gloved right fist. Konoha's karate chop, infused with a sword's sharpness, crossed with his punch but was deflected. Abyss continued to step on the floor tiles underfoot. This time, he attacked with his left fist for pure destructive power. Konoha twisted her body to evade, leaving a tiny trail as the tip of her foot brushed past windows, meanwhile performing a spinning kick&mdash;

"Heya."

A completely merciless kick aimed for the head was blocked firmly by Abyss' arm. Smiling maliciously, Abyss reached out and tried to grab her leg.

"A woman should not raise her leg so high&mdash;Such wonderful skin as white as snow, praise the Lord."

"P-Pervert!"

Konoha jumped and kicked with her other leg. Although it was blocked similarly, she used the reaction force from striking the opponent's arm to withdraw her leg that was almost grabbed and leapt backwards. Separated again by the same distance as earlier, they glared at each other&mdash;Only at this moment did the glass windows, which Konoha's foot had brushed past, all shatter at once.

A motionless world.

Only the clear sound of two people staring at each other stood between them.

"...Looks like you're a cross who relies on brawn. Also, you're a pervert. A pervert who relies on brawn, what a truly terrible combination. What should I do now?"

"I am completely self-taught. Hmm, how troubling, my gloves are now tattered. I really liked these gloves."

"A self-taught pervert? That's even worse, the worst of the worst. In the next instant, you won't need to care about any glove anymore."

Konoha suddenly kicked a fire extinguisher in the corridor. Abyss swung his fist and easily struck it down&mdash;But due to the small crack Konoha had sliced in it beforehand, the impact caused the fire extinguisher to make a small explosion, scattering white dust and powder everywhere. Hmm&mdash;frowning, Abyss's figure instantly disappeared from sight&mdash;

In response to this cloud of smoke, there was a world of difference between being prepared and unprepared.

Konoha instantly closed the distance. Amidst the white smoke, she performed a spear handed strike towards the location of Abyss' head. Although the strike did not penetrate, it did succeed in causing an impact. By sensing his presence, Konoha could tell that Abyss was retreating a few steps backwards.

"This does hurt quite a lot... I've heard that samurai warriors battle openly, fair and square. So I should take this to mean that the weapon did not inherit their spirit?"

"That would depend on the situation. In the case of recovering a loved one's memories, of course some underhandedness would be permitted... So that's that. I'm desperate here, so could you please return them? Haruaki-kun's memories."

"Saying that now won't help anything. Do know that women who keep looking for excuses are not well liked!"

"Can't you say things in a more gentle manner? Well then, let me tell you with my highest level of gentleness&mdash;"

Battle instincts throbbing. Body temperature rising. Her face distorting on its own.

This was the instant she had hoped for. Once this man disappeared, everything would be over.

Haruaki-kun would then remember.

A very very important matter, so important that Konoha would go so far as to gamble everything she had upon it.

"&mdash;If you have no intention of returning them, I shall shatter that skull of yours to drag the memories out. O Padren Cross!"<ref>'''Padren'''(伴天連): a Japanese term used for referring to Portuguese Jesuit missionaries in the 16th century. Also used to refer to Christianity. The kanji rendering is a corruption of the Portuguese "padren" which means priest.</ref>

Only for this instant, Konoha's past self overflowed, cruel and merciless. An instant was enough. This was a necessary ritual for her to forget the taboo of killing her own kind.

Obtaining assistance from her past self's murderous intent, Konoha tasked herself to destroying Abyss.

Very quickly, the impacts between fists and karate chops began to overwhelm the sound of the rain.